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Ben Koller

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Ben Koller
Born (1980-07-29) July 29, 1980 (age 44)
OriginMassachusetts, United States
GenresHardcore punk, heavy metal, metalcore, progressive rock
InstrumentDrum kit
Years active1997–present
LabelsDeathwish, Epitaph, Equal Vision, Hydra Head

Ben Koller (born July 29, 1980)[1] is an American drummer currently in Converge, Mutoid Man, and All Pigs Must Die. He started playing a full drum kit at age 14.[2]

Musical career

Early bands

Ben Koller played in the bands, Where's Ben?[citation needed] and Bastian,[citation needed] before playing in the grindcore band Force Fed Glass.[3] He started playing for the band in 1997.[2] Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, who is also a successful producer, recorded an album for Force Fed Glass. Ballou later started a side project called Blue/Green Heart and selected Koller as his drummer having already been familiar with his talent from Force Fed Glass. Blue/Green Heart only released one demo album, Self Esteem Through Modern Science.[4]

Converge

Ben Koller joined Converge in 1999, replacing former drummer Damon Bellorado.[5] Familiar with his work in previous bands, Kurt Ballou selected Koller to temporarily fill-in while Converge searched for a more permanent replacement for the recently departed Bellorado. After working well with the band during some local shows in Boston, Converge made him an official member.[2][5] Koller's first studio release with Converge was 2001's Jane Doe released through Equal Vision Records. However, a split EP with the Japanese band Hellchild, titled Deeper the Wound, was released prior to that which featured an early version of "Thaw" from Jane Doe.

Converge later signed to Epitaph Records and has since released four studio albums: You Fail Me (2004), No Heroes (2006), Axe to Fall (2009) and All We Love We Leave Behind (2012).

Acid Tiger

Acid Tiger is Ben Koller's psychedelic punk side project with Lukas Previn (The A.K.A.s), Adam Wentworth (Bloodhorse / All Pigs Must Die), and J Rattlesnake. Previn described the band as having, "no plan or guideline for us other than getting our friends in a room and playing all the riffs we had that didn't work for the other bands we are in."[6] Acid Tiger signed to Deathwish Inc. in July 2009,[7] and released their self-titled debut on April 27, 2010.[8]

All Pigs Must Die

All Pigs Must Die is a heavy metal band composed of Kevin Baker of The Hope Conspiracy and Ben Koller in addition to Adam Wentworth and Matt Woods of Bloodhorse.[9] The former of which is also a part of Acid Tiger. All Pigs Must Die is signed to Nonbeliever Records, an imprint label of Shirts & Destroy. Their debut EP, which was recorded at Ballou's GodCity studios, was released in October 2010.[10] In 2011, they released their first full length called God Is War.

Mutoid Man

Koller recorded some songs as a two-piece band with Stephen Brodsky of Cave In in mid-2012 under the name Mutoid Man. The project was properly announced in March 2013,[11] and its debut EP, Helium Head, was released in November 2013 through Magic Bullet Records.[12] Describing the sound of the new project, Brodsky said, "The material picks up from where we left off with the Cave In Shapeshifter/Dead Already cassingle, written with Ben in the band. The two of us ran with that sound and formula and took it as far as we could go."[13] Koller and Brodsky were later joined by bassist Nick Cageao to form a three-piece band, and will release their first full-length album Bleeder on June 30, 2015 through Sargent House.[14]

Other projects

In 2005, Cave In drummer John-Robert Conners left the band after a wrist injury that prevented him from being able to play.[15] Ben Koller became his temporary replacement during Cave In's tour in support of their fourth studio album, Perfect Pitch Black. Before the group went on hiatus in 2006, the band recorded two songs with Koller. The two songs, "Dead Already" and "Shapeshifter," were released together on a limited edition cassette single sold during 2005 and 2006 tours.[16] Conners returned to Cave In when they reunited in 2009.

Ben Koller is also rumored to be a member of the screamo band United Nations.[17] Because the group members are contractually obligated to remain anonymous, the true lineup of the band has not been officially released. The only member not under contract is Geoff Rickly of Thursday.[18] Promotional images depict four people wearing Ronald Reagan masks, and other rumored band members include Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw and Chris Conger of The Number Twelve Looks Like You.[17][18] To date, United Nations has released three albums: United Nations (2008), Never Mind the Bombings, Here's Your Six Figures (2010) and The Next Four Years (2013).

In 2010, Ben Koller became the temporary touring replacement for John-Robert Conners in his side project Doomriders, which also features Nate Newton of Converge and Old Man Gloom. Conners left Doomriders to put more focus on Cave In and his family.[19]

Koller filled in for Killer Be Killed's drummer Dave Elitch for their 2015 Soundwave performance. Elitch had a schedule conflict; his other band Antemasque was also scheduled to play at the festival.[20] As of July 30, 2015, Koller is now the permanent drummer of Killer Be Killed.[21]

Discography

With Force Fed Glass

  • When Backs Are Turned, Knives Are Pulled (1998)[22]
  • The Self Destruct EP (1999)[22]
  • Discography (2003)[22]

With Blue/Green Heart

  • Self Esteem Through Modern Science (2002)[4]

With Converge

With Cave In

  • "Dead Already" / "Shapeshifter" (2005)[16]

With Acid Tiger

With All Pigs Must Die

Mutoid Man

  • Helium Head (2013)[12]
  • Bleeder (2015)[14]

References

  1. ^ "CONVERGE wish a Happy 30th Birthday to Ben Koller! Underworld, London, July 29, 2010 - YouTube". M.youtube.com. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  2. ^ a b c "Interview: Ben Koller". Sick Drummer Magazine. September 14, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  3. ^ Bennett, J. (January 2008). "Who's That Girl? The Making of Converge's Jane Doe". Decibel. Archived from the original on February 6, 2010. Retrieved July 28, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b "Blue/Green Heart". Iodine Recordings. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
  5. ^ a b Proefrock, Stacia. "Converge – Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  6. ^ a b Debenedictis, Matt (July 19, 2010). "Acid Tiger Play 'Without the Borders of a Scene'". Noisecreep. AOL Music. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  7. ^ Paul, Aubin (July 17, 2009). "Deathwish signs Acid Tiger (Converge)". Punknews.org. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
  8. ^ Yancey, Bryne (March 8, 2010). "Acid Tiger (members of Converge, Thursday) detail debut LP". Punknews.org. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  9. ^ Pratt, Greg (April 9, 2010). "Members of Converge, the Hope Conspiracy and Bloodhorse Become All Pigs Must Die". Exclaim!. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  10. ^ a b "All Pigs Must Die set to release debut". LambGoat. September 17, 2010. Archived from the original on 24 September 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Adams, Gregory (March 14, 2013). "Cave In's Stephen Brodsky and Converge's Ben Koller Team Up as Mutoid Man". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  12. ^ a b Wingerschmidt, Kip (September 23, 2013). "New Supergroup Mutoid Man (members of Cave In, Converge, All Pigs Must Die, Bröhammer) Debuts TONIGHT in Brooklyn!". Metalsucks. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  13. ^ Macomber, Shawn (September 24, 2013). "Listen to Mutoid Man 'Scrape the Walls'". Decibel. Red Flag Media. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  14. ^ a b Adams, Gregory (April 23, 2015). "Mutoid Man Announce 'Bleeder' LP, Stream New Single". Exclaim!. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  15. ^ "Cave In part ways w/ drummer". LambGoat. July 27, 2005. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  16. ^ a b Harris, Chris (September 20, 2005). "Cave In Survive Major-Label Divorce, Want To Revive The Cassingle". MTV. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
  17. ^ a b Synyard, Dave (October 2008). "Conversations: United Nations' Geoff Rickly". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  18. ^ a b True, Chris. "United Nations – Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  19. ^ Harris, Chris (August 25, 2010). "Doomriders Drummer JR Conners Jumps Ship". Gun Shy Assassin. Archived from the original on 29 August 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "Ben Koller of Converge to play Killer Be Killed shows". Metal Insider. 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  21. ^ "CONVERGE Drummer Ben Koller Has Officially Joined KILLER BE KILLED". Metal Injection. 2015-07-30. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  22. ^ a b c "Label Discography". Ebullition Records. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
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